Cape Town - Damage to buses and infrastructure could run into millions as the city counts the cost of rampaging taxi drivers who went on strike on Monday.
A Golden Arrow bus and a MyCiTi bus were set alight and cars and buses along the N2 were stoned. Several people were injured.
Although the strike had been called off by late Monday afternoon, Golden Arrow said there were “no-go areas” for Golden Arrow buses in the wake of the taxi strike yesterday. These were Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Delft and parts of the main road between Retreat and the city.
Taxis will be fully operational today after the strike was called off following a meeting between taxi bodies and Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant.
“I called the meeting to resolve the impasse between the disputing groups, and to chart a way forward that would result in an inclusive and democratic election of new industry leadership. At the centre of the disagreement is a dispute over internal constitutional processes that must be followed in the election of a new leadership,” Grant said.
He added that while many of the concerns had yet to be resolved there was an agreement that parties would willingly enter into a departmentally-facilitated mediation process, as well as inform their members to end the strike action immediately.
“I am satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, and hope that both parties will continue to act in good faith,” Grant said.
On Monday commuters was forced to seek alternative transport after taxi drivers went on strike. The strike turned violent in some parts of the metro. In Delft, a Golden Arrow bus was petrol-bombed. In Dunoon, stones were thrown at police and buses. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.
“A bus was gutted and more than 150 windows have been lost due to stone throwing,” said Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said. She added that 10 of their drivers had been assaulted.
In the middle of the chaos a Department of Social Development social worker was attacked in the early morning in Kraaifontein, allegedly by striking taxi operators who stoned her car. She received treatment for her injuries at a hospital.
Albert Fritz, the MEC for social development, has strongly condemned the protest.
“The conduct of the protesters has been violent, disruptive and shameful. The attack on our officials is particularly outrageous given that our staff work with the poorest residents of city and province,” Fritz said.
Cosatu's provincial secretary, Tony Ehrenrich, said: “The taxi crisis has been brewing for a while with very little proactive intervention by the provincial government. Even when the taxi industry announces a strike, MEC Grant only meets with them after the first day of the strike.”